End of a tin-pot dictator

By Shanika SRIYANANDA

An year ago on May 20, the Lion flags (national) dotted every inch of the country fluttering majestically in Sri Lanka, heralding the message that the war-ravaged country was totally liberated after 30 years. Guns fell silent with the declaration of ending the conflict after the military found the body of the LTTE leader.

People poured into the streets and celebrated the war victory while some segments including pro-LTTE elements, who did not want to believe that the LTTE was eliminated and its leader killed, spread rumours.

Back in Colombo, after witnessing the true military drama that trapped and killed the ‘monster’ who brought devastation to the entire nation including his own community, on May 19 morning 2009, I was shocked to hear these rumours.

Some said it was Prabhakaran’s dummy and various other rumours too were propped up as the interested parties were still unwilling to believe that he, whom they thought was invincible, was dead.

After an year, we have spoken to the team that fought the world’s most notorious terrorist in the very final battle that silenced him.

“It was shocking to hear those rumours. We only know how fierce was the last battle. Those who are unpatriotic should be ashamed to spread those rumours”, the former 681 Brigade Commander Lt. Col. Lalantha Gamage said.

He, who guided the eight-man teams in the wee hours of May 18 and 19, 2009 to hunt down Prabhakaran said that the incident, which was the most important event in the Lankan history, is still fresh in his mind. Presently the Commander of the Commando Regiment Lt. Col. Gamage recalls the battle that his men fought to destroy Prabhakaran.

It was in the wee hours of May 18 that Lt. Col. Rohitha Aluvihare of the 4th Vijayaba Infantry Regiment on the instructions of the Brigade Commander sent an eight-man team to ambush some islets in the Nanthikadal lagoon to destroy the remaining hideouts of the terrorist leader.

The time clicked 3 in the morning and the eight-man team led by Sgt Bandara crept through the muddy waters of the lagoon. Camouflaged in thorny bushes of the marsh, the soldiers smelled the presence of several groups of terrorists.

“Sgt. Bandara told us that there were over 100 terrorists and his team couldn’t face their firing. But he confronted them as he wanted to prevent them fleeing. After a while he asked for additional troops and also the artillery and armour support. He knew he would die but he wanted to accomplish his mission to hunt down Prabhakaran”, Lt. Col. Gamage said.

However, he fought for hours bravely while the LTTE hardcore terrorists breathed their last along with three of his team members while the additional troops were continuing their fight. When later bodies were collected his body was found along with these of the LTTE’s senior cadre Jayam and eight other suicide cadres. Several suicide jackets were also found.

Sgt. Bandara could have easily kept mum when he saw the large number of terrorists but he confronted them knowing his survival was uncertain.

“If not for his brave deed, the terrorists would have fled to the Mullathivu jungles as they had planned. The confrontation made terrorists to break into groups and the continuous confrontation brought about many deaths. To me, this is the turning point of the battle and also a classic instance in which the junior leadership contributed its mite for the final victory”, he said.

As the remaining small teams could not resist the fire power of the LTTE, the support of the mechanized infantry, artillery and the armour backing were sought while continuing the attack on the mangroves incessantly. A fresh operation was launched at 6 on May 18 morning. The elite commandos and soldiers of the 17 Gemunu Watch were also deployed for the search operation that continued till dusk.

Over 350 LTTE cadres including senior hands and suicide cadres were crushed while they were trying to breach the forward defence lines.

But yet there was no clue of Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman. His close escorts providing protection were found dead.

“Our mission was to hunt down Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman. We secured all the possible way outs in the location to prevent the remaining cadres from escaping”, former 4 VIR Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Aluvihare said.

The soldiers of 53, 58 and 59 engaged in a rigorous search operation from dawn to dusk to get Prabhakaran dead or alive, but still his whereabouts remained a mystery.

With no good news about their ‘catch’, the troops were ordered to continue the on-going search operations. However, the information about a suspected movement received from a soldier at Vellimullivaikkal early morning of May 19, had given the soldiers fresh hopes about their mission.

The search operations were relaunched with much vigour. The eight-man team led by Sgt T. M. Muthubanda stepped in to the mangroves and while collecting the bodies strewn at the location, a sudden firing 600 metres away from the FDL resulted in a confrontation. From the resistance they met, the team felt the presence of a high profile LTTE leader in the area with the increased firing power at the mangroves. As the fight was getting tough Sgt Muthubanda was supported by another 8-man team led by Sgt. H. P. Wijesinghe. They fought for over one and half hours in a face to face battle. No heavy weapons were used as it was a close battle.

“His escorts armed with sophisticated weapons and wearing uniforms gave a tough fight in which they threw a grenades at us to prevent us reaching the dead body of their leader. But his close protection ring with ten hardcore terrorists were also destroyed by the soldiers who conducted the search operation and then we recovered the bodies”, said Muthubanda.

Both Lt. Cols - Gamage and Aluvihare were at the location in neck deep water commanding the operation.

The guns fell silent and 20 soldiers who fought in the very last battle at the Nanthikadal lagoon started collecting bodies without knowing that they were the team that fought the last battle of the Eelam IV. The team collected five bodies and pistols which indicated that the dead were VIP escorts. One of the bodies identified was that of Vinodan, a senior most bodyguard of the inner protection team of the LTTE leader.

Lt. Col. Gamage educated his troops on May 18 to refresh their minds about the physical features of Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman. Sgt. Muthubanda whom first found the fat body with a moustache clad in Tiger uniform had informed Lt. Col Gamage about.

The Brigade Commander accompanied by Lt. Col. Aluvihare rushed to the murky location to identify the body.

“Eureka!..., eureka!!... we have found Prabhakaran’s body” he conveyed the good news to the GOC 53 Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunaratne.The man who motivated thousands of innocent children and youth to die by swallowing the deadly cyanide vials was found to have none with him.

No cyanide was hanging around his neck. Instead the dog tag TT 3 bearing the number 001 and dated 16.09.95 hung around the monster killer’s neck. His Eelam identity card with his picture bearing number 01543301002 issued on 01.01.2007 and with his personal details like date of birth - 26.11.1954, place of birth - Velvatiturai and occupation - Leader of the LTTE was also in his uniform pocket.

“I knew Prabhakaran would die in the area belonged to the 4 VIR”, says Lt. Col. Gamage. These war heroes who silently enjoy their victory over the eradication of the most ruthless terrorist movement in the world have a message to the country! Don’t underestimate the sweat and blood of the soldiers who bravely fought a fierce battle in the last two hours of the final battle”.

Can the bravery of Sgt, Bandara, who fought the LTTE’s toughest cadres knowing well that he would die, be negated by the rumours of the unpatriotic elements?

“People can carry tales. But no one can hide the truth. Not only some Sri Lankans but even the West thought the LTTE Leader was a good fighter and his organisation could not be defeated. But, our brave and clever soldiers destroyed him on the spot”, Col. Aluvihare said asking not to underestimate the battle they fought on May 19 to gun down Prabhakaran.

“My three-year-old little son knows that I got Prabhakaran’s body. When he says “mage thaththa thamai Prahakarange body eka gaththe (It was my father who got Prabhakaran’s body) I cannot express my happiness.

People, who are worried that Prabhakaran is over, may say things but I don’t mind as long as my son knows that I fought to destroy him. That is enough for me”, says Sgt. Muthubanda who is still waiting to pursue his latest ‘dream’.

“If I can meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa and tell him how we fought and recovered Prabhakaran’s body......”. This is his dream at this time when Sri Lanka is preparing to celebrate the war victory, next week.